1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the back-lit display of graphic designs and advertising information. More particularly, the invention relates to display panels comprised of a primary layer of transparent sheet material upon which is affixed graphic designs and/or advertising or instructional information with such panels designed for back-lit presentation of such designs and information.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years there has been an increasing utilization of back-lit display panels, particularly for decorative and informational use in connection with game machines, product dispensing apparatus, and for the wall display of colorful graphics and advertising materials. The principal means of satisfying such needs has been through display panels fabricated of rigid and semi-rigid transparent plastic sheet material to which graphic design matter and/or alpha-numerical advertising and instructional information has been applied by classic silk screen techniques. Silk screening procedures require careful color and image registration and matching and such procedures are labor intensive resulting in relatively expensive panel costs. Because of the difficulty in color-to-color registrations on plastic panel material, silk screened multi-color images and graphics often display fuzzy lines of color overlap or free-color space lines which are accentuated when the panel material is subjected to back-lighting.
There have also been longevity problems with graphics-bearing plastic panels used for game machines and product dispensing apparatus since such panels are frequently subjected to physical abuse by disgruntled game or dispenser operators and to environmental hazard through food and drink spills. Further, the plastic sheet material and inks applied by to the sheet material of such panels are subject to degradation over time by ultraviolet light rays originating from the commonly utilized fluorescent lamp type back-lighting illumination source.
It is an object of the present invention to provide improved back-lit panels for the display of graphic designs and/or advertising and instructional information.
It is a further object of the invention to provide improved laminated film-to-glass composite back-lit panels for the display of colorful graphics and/or alpha-numerical advertising and instructional information with sharp color-to-color registration.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide unique back-lit panels comprised of a primary layer of glass upon which is affixed positive photographic film displaying graphic designs and/or advertising and instructional information.
It is another object of the invention to provide improved back-lit panels for the display of graphics and/or advertising and instructional information comprised of a primary structural layer of glass sheet material upon which is adhesively affixed photographic film including positive graphic imagery and/or alpha-numerical information with such panels being resistive to ultraviolet degradation by long-term exposure to fluorescent back-lighting.
It is still another object of the invention to provide improved laminated film-to-glass composite back-lit panels for decorative and informational use in connection with game machines and product dispensing apparatus, and for the wall display of colorful graphics and advertising materials.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following summary and detailed description of the invention, taken together with the accompanying drawing figures.